


Dawning

by WarlordFelwinter



Series: Destiny / OC-centric [10]
Category: Destiny (Video Games)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-25
Updated: 2017-12-25
Packaged: 2019-02-20 09:15:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,926
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13143600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WarlordFelwinter/pseuds/WarlordFelwinter
Summary: happy dawning, guardians!i am incapable of writing straight fluff without putting at least a little stress in there. delphi is a smol and anxious boy but his ghost loves him very much and so does the speaker. this is way back just shortly after delphi showed up at the tower and was informally adopted by the speaker.





	Dawning

“What… is it?” Delphi picked up a handful of the white powder, eyes wide. He had gone to sleep to a normal Tower and woken to find everything covered in white and people putting up decorations and lights. It was pretty but… confusing. 

“It’s snow!” Athena said, flitting around his head excitedly. He knew what snow was… academically. He had just never seen it in person before. 

“What’s with all the lights, then?” he asked. 

“It’s time for the Dawning,” a voice said behind him. He turned to see the Speaker coming out from his study. 

“The Dawning?” 

“Yes. It’s a tradition from when the City was new. Welcoming in the new year with light and hope.” The Speaker walked over to join him. 

“How does it work?” 

Athena hummed. “There are games, I think… and people give gifts to those they care about. And we light lanterns.” 

The Speaker nodded. “The lights symbolize hope. They light our way through the dark part of the year, as the Light itself guides us through the Darkness.” 

“It’s… beautiful.” 

The Speaker said nothing for a moment, watching a couple Hunters run past into the North Tower, where the shopkeepers were stringing lights along their stalls. 

“You should take the day off,” he said to Delphi. “It’s your first Dawning. Enjoy it.” 

“Thank you, Speaker,” Delphi said. Athena pushed between his shoulders. 

“Let’s go!”

 

* * *

 

 

Darkness was falling over the City, but it was difficult to tell. There were lanterns and candles and strings of lights that made the streets look like they were lined with stars. Delphi was heading back toward the Tower, taking his time. He sipped at the warm, chocolatey drink he had bought and watched the way his breath clouded into the air. 

“Oh, look, a book shop,” Athena said, flitting over to the window. “They’re having a sale. You could get the Speaker something.” 

“I doubt if I could find anything he doesn’t already have,” Delphi said, but he opened the door and went inside. The shopkeeper was a young Awoken woman, who smiled at him. 

“Evening, Guardian,” she said, eyes flicking over to Athena. “Happy Dawning! Looking for anything in particular?” 

“Just browsing, I think,” Delphi said. “Unless you have something unique? Something that can’t be found easily. I’m looking for a gift for someone, but… he’s read just about everything.” 

The shopkeep narrowed her eyes slightly, as if appraising him. “Well… then you might be interested in the back section. You’re a Warlock, right?” 

“How did you…?” he asked, confused. He was wearing civilian clothes, no armor or robes. 

“It’s the way you hold yourself. Warlocks come in here all the time, and a few Hunters and Titans too. You all hold yourselves differently. But Warlocks are my best customers… and usually the ones interested in the more…  _ rare _ books. Come on.” She turned and parted a curtain behind the counter. 

Delphi glanced at Athena and went through the curtain. 

“Take your time,” the woman said. “I’ll be out here, if you find something you like.” 

The room was small, with only one bookshelf, stacked with a few old tomes. Delphi picked them up one by one, looking them over. 

“The journals of Toland the Shattered… the ramblings of the mad poet Alhazred… Where did she get these things?” he asked quietly, looking at Athena. They were all forbidden texts from Guardians who had gone rogue in some way or another. Athena gave a confused shake. He spotted a splash of yellow and grabbed it, brushing some dust off the cover. 

“The Prophecies of Osiris…” 

Athena hummed uncertainly. “I don’t think that’s a good present.” 

“The Speaker had these burned, didn’t he?” He started to open the book. Athena flitted in front of his face. 

“You shouldn’t,” she said. “The Speaker banned those for a reason. Osiris was exiled for a reason.” 

“I know, but…” He batted her out of the way. “You can’t say you’re not curious.” 

“Of course I am,” she said. “This is just… I feel like we’re betraying the Speaker’s trust.” 

“Knowing our history lets us protect our future. That is something the Speaker taught me. He doesn’t talk about Osiris. There aren’t any records on him that I can find. I only know rumors.” 

Athena gave him a look. “I won’t say anything,” she said. “I just think it’s a bad idea.” 

Delphi closed the book and walked back out to the front room and placed it on the counter.

 

* * *

 

“Happy Dawning!” 

The Speaker looked surprised when Delphi sat the box down on the desk. He smiled and opened it, revealing the handcrafted glass tea set Delphi had bought and a selection of rare teas that the shopkeeper had suggested. 

“It’s beautiful,” the Speaker said. “Thank you. Shall we test it?” 

Delphi nodded and gathered up the box, heading into the kitchen to put the water on. While it heated, he grabbed a tray and set up the pot and cups and picked one of the bundles of leaves and dropped it into the pot. 

He poured water in over it and carried the tray back out to the main room, setting it down just as the leaves started to unfurl and revealed a flower. 

“Stunning,” the Speaker murmured. “Where did you find tea like this?” 

“A little shop down in the south district,” Delphi said. “He called it blooming tea.” He fidgeted, feeling guilty. 

“You look worried,” the Speaker commented. “It’s not poisonous, is it?” 

“No,” Delphi said. “I just… um… hold on.” He got up and went to his room, opening the locker and pulling out Osiris’ book. 

_ Are you sure? _ Athena asked.  _ He won’t let you keep it. _

“I know.” 

Delphi walked back out to the main room, holding the book in both hands. The Speaker looked up, curious. His gaze focused on the book and became guarded and dark. Delphi took a step back. 

“I… I know I shouldn’t have bought it… I know you had them all destroyed, but I just… I wanted to know. You hardly ever talk about him and…” He faltered and knelt, holding the book out. “I’m sorry. I feel like I’ve let you down. I haven’t read it. You should destroy it, like the others.” 

The Speaker took the book from him, saying nothing for a long moment, his expression inscrutable. He let out a long breath. 

“I think the tea’s ready.” 

“Right,” Delphi said, scrambling to his feet and pouring two cups. The Speaker sat the book down next to him and took his cup. Delphi sat down, but his hands were shaking too much to hold his tea. 

“It’s good,” the Speaker said. “You should try it.” 

Delphi tried to pick up his tea and it slipped from his fingers, spilling onto the floor. “Oh,” he gasped. “I’m--I’m sorry, I’ll get a towel.”

“Delphi.” The Speaker stopped him. He reached down and picked up the cup. “It’s all right. I’m not angry with you.” He looked at the book and sighed. “I shouldn’t be surprised that some of these still exist…” 

Athena appeared over Delphi’s shoulder and pressed against his cheek comfortingly. 

“I can’t blame you for being curious.” He smiled reassuringly and refilled Delphi’s cup. “Relax.” 

“Sorry.” 

“It’s all right,” the Speaker said again. Delphi sipped at the tea. It was delicious. Floral and spiced and warming. Athena shifted slightly and tucked herself down into his scarf, still snuggled up against him. 

“You should read it,” the Speaker said after a moment of silence. 

“Really?” 

“You’re smart and you have a strong connection to the Light. I trust you to be able to make your own decisions about what to believe. It is… important to see all sides of a story. Osiris was a danger to the City, but I don’t believe you will be so easily swayed to the Darkness as some others.” 

“You think Osiris is a follower of the Darkness?” 

The Speaker sighed, his expression troubled. “Osiris is a follower of himself. I don’t think he believes himself a follower of the Darkness, but he does not walk entirely in Light either.” He shook his head. “These topics are too dark for the season, let us talk about something happier. How is your training coming along?” 

“He’s doing great,” Athena said. “He’s pretty good with solar energy.” 

“Sort of,” Delphi said, embarrassed. “It had to be weird, though. I can only seem to call a sword, so I’m not a proper Sunsinger.” 

The Speaker looked surprised. “Not a Sunsinger at all. You’re a Dawnblade. Those are rare. I haven’t seen one since…” He paused and chuckled slightly. “Well, since Osiris. It’s a good sign. He was, for all his faults, very powerful. And your other… abilities?” 

“Still easier than the other energies,” Delphi said. “I’m getting much better at aiming the gates.” 

“And you’ve had no troubles?” 

Delphi shook his head. 

“The way the Light meshed with the nanomachines seems to have removed any… corruptive intent that Vex normally have,” Athena said. “He’s stable, unless we lose our Light… and then we’ll have bigger issues, I think.” 

“Good,” the Speaker said, smiling. “If you’re ready, then… I think we should let Ikora know of you.” Delphi’s expression must have betrayed his nervousness, because the Speaker shook his head slightly. “You really shouldn’t be so frightened of her. You are not any danger to the Tower, and you have my complete trust. That will be enough for Ikora. The worst she’ll want to do is study you.” 

“If you think it’s a good idea, then I trust you,” Delphi said. 

“And… before I forget…” The Speaker stood and walked over to a cabinet, pulling out a wrapped package. He brought it back over to Delphi. “Your Dawning present.” 

“Oh!” Delphi took the package and loosened the bow, unfolding the wrapping to reveal a set of robes. He stood, holding the collar and letting the rest unfold. They were white and pale blue, with accents of dark grey; embellished with sparkling silver designs that mimicked the various markings on the Traveler; and bearing the Speaker’s mark on the breast. 

“They’re beautiful… I… thank you,” Delphi stammered.  

The Speaker inclined his head. “I had Eva make them. Something a little more… official. If you’re going to be my assistant, you should look the part.” He smiled. “It’s an armor set. Athena has the rest.” 

Delphi felt a slight lurch, like a transmat, and he was suddenly wearing the robes, along with new pants, boots, and gloves that complimented them. 

“Sneak,” he said to Athena, who turned away innocently. “Don’t think I forgot you. The box, please.” 

His Ghost looked at him, startled, and summoned a small box into his hand, which he opened to reveal a new shell. Athena swapped immediately, with a shower of blue light. 

“Cozy,” she commented, flitting around his head. “How do I look?” She held still in front of him, letting him see the new shell properly. It was sparkly and angular and the soft blues and greys of the Dawning decorations he had seen. 

“Beautiful!”  

She hummed, sounding pleased, and bumped against his cheek affectionately. “Let’s go out,” she said, doing a twirl. “I want to show off!” 

“It’s getting dark,” the Speaker commented, standing. “Have you seen one of the lantern ceremonies, yet?” 

Delphi shook his head. The Speaker put his mask on and pulled his hood up. 

“Come, then,” he said, beckoning Delphi to the door. “It’s quite a sight. You won’t want to miss it.” 

**Author's Note:**

> happy dawning, guardians! 
> 
> i am incapable of writing straight fluff without putting at least a little stress in there. delphi is a smol and anxious boy but his ghost loves him very much and so does the speaker. this is way back just shortly after delphi showed up at the tower and was informally adopted by the speaker.


End file.
